


Loneliness finds red

by milfbaek



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: A little bit of Drama, Aliens, Domestic, Fluff, M/M, Purple Blood, Romance, Sexual Tension, non-explicit handjob, surfer baekhyun, touch-starved baekhyun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:20:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27275602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milfbaek/pseuds/milfbaek
Summary: Baekhyun lives on the beach, trapped inside the sameness and having the sea as his only company. Chanyeol, the red-skinned alien with a big smile, says that kissing on the lips means greetings in his world. The most polite thing for him to do would be to introduce himself to a human formally, right?
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36
Collections: EXO MONSTERFEST 2020





	Loneliness finds red

**Author's Note:**

> big thanks to the mods!!   
> this is prompt L128, it's such a cute prompt, i couldn't ignore it.  
> i love aliens so, yes, i had a looot of fun writing this.
> 
> sorry for any mistakes, enjoy the fic!

The noise of the rain crashing against the window was almost as comforting as the waves breaking in the sea, the feeling of peace filled Baekhyun's chest while his hands warmed up as he wrapped the cup with boiling tea. 

The smoke blurred the glass, forming a shapeless figure that Baekhyun analyzed for a miserable instant, his slow, controlled breathing stopping for a few seconds as he took fright with a lightning bolt illuminating the starry night followed by thunder. It was a surprise when he had to remove his collection of shells from the balcony in order not to be carried by the wind. 

"It seems that the sea is not very happy," his mouth formed the words unconsciously, a sip of tea down his throat and forming a sigh in his chest. Baekhyun tilted his head, looking at the violent waves of the sea not far from his house. It didn't scare him as before, on the contrary, it brought him familiarity. His attention stuck momentarily to the moon, brighter than usual and stealing all the beauty from the sky, reminding him why living outside the town was the right choice. He would never see a sky like this if the lights and buildings existed to overshadow it.

He turned on the TV to distract himself from the window, closing the curtain and sitting on the humble sofa in the middle of the room. It wouldn't take long to sleep with the noise of thunderstorms calming his overthinking, but even if he was used to it, it wouldn't diminish his surprise as they were getting louder and louder. Baekhyun bit his lower lip, realizing that they were drier than usual because of his mania to worry them during the day. The delicate fingers opened and left the cup on the coffee table, crossing his legs comfortably and leaning his head on a fist, it was just a storm after all. It wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last, so why did it seem like someone was trying to alert him something was wrong? Why did he start to believe to see signs in the skies that were not there all other nights?

"I must be going crazy, in a while I'm going to imagine the fish are talking to me." Baekhyun rolled his eyes and laughed, a laugh that wouldn't have reached his cheeks if it hadn't been for the thought that he once really defended tooth and nail he heard something, not that his head was working properly when he swallowed a giant wave when he was surfing. 

Baekhyun sighed, tapping the melody he heard on the beach earlier on the edge of the sofa, his eyes stuck to the TV. They were empty if it weren't for the reflection of the action movie playing. He was not sad, just in his comfort zone, without something to give him adrenaline, pleasure. Without something new, exciting. He loved the beach and would never regret his decision, but saltwater and sand also get boring. 

His droopy eyes were weighing more and more, his line of reasoning started to become incoherent and his fingers stopped, exhaustion winning the battle and taking the throne. Baekhyun fell asleep on the couch, forgetting that he was in a not very comfortable position and that for sure his neck would hurt afterwards. He also missed the red blur that crossed the sky that night and ended up in the sea, lost in the deep water with a big hole in the sand. But of course, for his colorful dreams where he was a prince in a medieval castle and his head hanging out of the sofa, what happened out there was just a mere detail. 

Said and done, Baekhyun woke up the next day with his back hurting and his neck almost giving up working, robotically leaving the sofa and going straight to the bathroom. Baekhyun was proud of his inner alarm clock, always waking up on time even if he forgot to have something to alert. 

"I just wanted a massage now," Baekhyun snorted at his back popping and breaking the silence, the digits massaging his round cheeks and trying to fix his messy hair somehow. His hair was soft, he tried to take care of the blond hair as much as possible taking into account that the seawater soaked it every day. There was hair dye in a surge of courage, tired of the same routine and seeing the same thing in the mirror every day. He needed change, and he ended up liking his hair.

"Maybe I should get a boyfriend." Baekhyun froze, mortified, his hand covering his mouth immediately as he blurted out the phrase. He didn't want to have admitted so easily that he missed romance, even after he had denied his friend countless times when he tried to arrange a blind date. Baekhyun also felt needy, desperate for a hand caressing his hair or just a hug when he got home. The mirror reflected the kissy-face Baekhyun made unconsciously, his lips forming a pout when trying to remember the sensation of the last kiss he had. He couldn't because it had been a long time ago. 

He brushed his teeth and took a bath, his house smelling of lavender because of his hair products and the soap that insisted on buying the same for years. It was not routine, he said to himself, but he liked to have his characteristic smell and was sensitive to strong odors. Ironic for those who lived at the sea. 

The sun was higher, the rays of the sun entering through the curtain and making the glass with juice sparkle in Baekhyun’s hand, a common sight he was already used to. The taste was the same every morning, the apple infiltrating his palate would not magically change its texture. Maybe he should change what he ate for breakfast too, he was tired of the sameness. 

With a tank top and shorts that went down to his knees, slippers and a simple necklace he had received from his grandmother, Baekhyun opened the front door, his brows furrowing in an immediate reaction. The sun punished his eyes and dried the sunscreen that did a poor job of covering his previous sunburns, tanned skin glistening as he picked up the surfboard beside him. 

He looked around, the storm hadn't caused much damage and he was grateful he didn't have to fix anything with his still sore body. Baekhyun left his slippers in a corner, walking towards the sea and smiling with the sand entering the gap between his toes. He felt at peace, the calm was so great that his heart thanked him too, showing its gratitude by stopping beating so fast in a feeling he didn't know. Why was he feeling so strange again? Either way, he ignored it, his veins jumping as his grip on the board got tighter. 

"What the...?" Baekhyun spoke out loud, walking faster as he spotted something he couldn't identify lying by the sea. It didn't look like some drunk or teenagers trying to run away from home, it didn't look like any sea animal either, it was too big. Suddenly, he swallowed dry, seeing that he was still alone in the place. With his heart racing, Baekhyun’s eyes widened as he tried to process what the hell was the weird creature in the middle of the beach. Baekhyun was a few centimeters away, he let the board slip from his fingers, completely still. 

"What is happening?" Baekhyun laughed trying to dissipate the tension, it should be a joke, someone fantasized for Halloween. But they weren't even close to October, and the creature's red skin seemed very real. Baekhyun should be dreaming, right? He couldn't possibly be seeing a being who seemed to come straight out of alien movies, red from head to toe like his favorite fruit, dark hair and little symbols on the side of its neck, an intriguing factor that made Baekhyun get closer, his fear being exchanged for curiosity when he realized the creature was asleep. That way it can’t hurt me, he concluded. 

His eyes analyzed the face, it was similar to those of a human although its features were much sharper. Humanoid, but not quite. Baekhyun's lip was caught between his teeth, almost bleeding when he looked down and realized that the creature was naked. He blushed heavily, his skin becoming almost the same color as the one he chose to call alien, his eyes quickly returning to the muscular belly of that being, strong arms with more symbols, the same ones that covered its neck. Baekhyun pondered if they were the equivalent of tattoos. The blond boy laughed and shook his head in incredulity, the chances of not dreaming were nil. He pinched himself, his smile turning into dread when he realized that the scene didn't change, he was still on the beach next to an unknown creature, naked and red. 

"I-I think I'm going to faint," Baekhyun murmured before screaming at the top of his lungs, his eyes bigger than those of the unknown being who suddenly opened them, green and piercing globes staring at him. 

The creature blinked slowly, coughing when lifting a hand in a way that expressed its inner confusion, the planet it was on was certainly not what it should be on, much less with the species in front of him that seemed mortified. The grains of sand hurt his skin, and he decided that it would be better to start the first contact. The long fingers of texture similar to the skin of a snake touched Baekhyun’s arm, a gentle caress seeming to try to calm the human. Baekhyun's reflexes took time to respond, too shocked or simply waiting for what would come next. His arm shivered and could not decide whether or not he liked what he felt in his body, it was new. 

Baekhyun was unbelieving, not knowing how to act. Were aliens really real and not government speculation? Weren't they just an idea in the minds of scientists? He didn't know whether to consider himself cursed or lucky to be watching something like that up close, it wasn't even near to the movies he watched as a child or the comics, it was both extraordinary and scary.

When he saw the alien approaching, Baekhyun exclaimed "Stay away from me!" and his palms planted on the ground as he fell sitting on the sand, frowning as he stared at the creature in the eyes, Baekhyun felt he was being analyzed.

"I won't hurt you," said the alien with a strong accent, a voice broken by disuse and a certain reluctance in his gaze, insecure of what he would do next. Baekhyun relaxed his posture for a few seconds, fingers burying themselves in the sand of the beach.

"How can I be sure of that?" Baekhyun replied, seeing the creature look at his shoulders and chest, lips bending in a small smile. 

"You're a human," stated the obvious. Baekhyun felt no superiority in his words, but he was also not sure that being a human in his present situation was a good thing. "If I wanted to, I would have done it already".

For a moment, the two were silent, the sound of the waves filling the void that settled while the creature watched Baekhyun, seeming not to care for the fact that it was being looked back. The alien noticed that he was handsome and that his body was tense, he seemed worried. The red-colored hand opened and closed, and the naked body came closer to the human. 

"You can't be real, right? You can't be real." Baekhyun shook his head in denial, all that time alone on the beach should be messing with his notion of reality. He took a handful of sand, releasing it as if it would magically dissolve in the air and prove that it was all just a dream. 

The alien searched the sky with his green eyes, dragging himself to stand in front of Baekhyun, his face covering the view of the beach, and suddenly the human found himself trapped, captivated by the light scales on that creature's cheekbones, a few scratches on his neck. Baekhyun's breath accelerated and his first instinct was to go back when the alien came closer, lips brushing on his chin. 

"W-What are you doing?" That's what Baekhyun had time to answer before having his lips captured by the alien's. One big, icy hand on his neck and the other on his cheek, holding his face gently. The lips were surprisingly soft, and Baekhyun gave up escaping much faster than he would like to admit. 

Baekhyun's cheeks blushed under his rough fingers, his mind emptying into the creature's mouth and body turning to jelly, melting little by little with the way his hair was caressed. Baekhyun seemed to regain consciousness when the alien's tongue passed through his lower lip, and moved away in shock when he realized what he was doing. 

"You can call me Chanyeol." The alien smiled enthusiastically, and Baekhyun rolled his eyes while hitting Chanyeol's cheek with his palm open, the noise of a slap breaking the mood. 

"Perverted! You can't go out kissing people around, what were you thinking? I don't even know what you are!" Baekhyun shouted breathlessly, getting up in one movement. Chanyeol looked at him confused, his hand holding where Baekhyun had hit and the eyes that before intimidating, now looked like those of a lost puppy. 

"This is how we introduce ourselves on my planet, I thought everywhere was the same. With a kiss." Chanyeol grumbled getting up too, a groan of pain escaping from his lips when he put a leg down, the noise made Baekhyun look attentively and swallow dry, going over the alien’s words. 

"You're naked!" Baekhyun insisted disconcerted.

"Well, isn't that common? I'm learning a lot of things today." With the tip of his finger, Chanyeol rubbed the fabric of Baekhyun's clothing, raising his eyebrows in fascination.

"It doesn't make sense." Baekhyun lowered the voice that contained a pinch of regret, rubbing one of his hands on the sunkissed arm as he glanced at his feet.

"Now I know that," Chanyeol smiled, twisting his mouth before completing "I didn't mean any harm, I didn't know that a kiss meant so much to humans.”

"No, it's okay, it's just... Nothing. It's okay." Baekhyun didn't know what to say, and the words got mixed up as he shrunk and took a few steps back, trying to hide from the alien. 

"Aren't you used to kissing?" Baekhyun blushed more with the question, debating if he still had time to run to the sea and leave Chanyeol in the middle of the beach. 

"Yeah, I don't think I am, we don't do it like that here.” He scratched the back of his head, Chanyeol's eyes softened and he felt comfortable to put his hand on the human's back, realizing that he was embarrassed for some reason. 

"You didn't tell me your name." 

The boy with blond hair raised his head, sighing before answering "Baekhyun." 

"Baekhyun, you have blood on your cheek." Chanyeol smiled as if it were nothing, a childish smile, an expression that soon fell apart when Baekhyun widened his eyes and took a hand to his face, a viscous purple liquid staining his digits.

"But this..." Instead of completing the sentence, Baekhyun took the alien's arm and turned his palm upwards, seeing an open cut to the beginning of his wrist. 

"You're bleeding, how could you not feel it?" Baekhyun questioned worried, ignoring the fact that purple blood began to drip in the sand. He looked up until he found Chanyeol's eyes hugging him, they were warm in a way he couldn't explain.

"It doesn't hurt that much." Chanyeol shrugged, trying to soften the crease on Baekhyun's forehead. 

The human bit his lip, shaking his leg with a certain nervousness. The beach was still empty, and he couldn't leave Chanyeol bleeding and in danger no matter how strange what was happening was. Without wanting to, his attention was drawn to Chanyeol's chest, following one of the drawings that went up to his neck. Chanyeol smiled and moved the fingers that Baekhyun was still holding, which made him turn his head and look at the house. 

"Come with me." Baekhyun began to walk in front of Chanyeol after picking up his surfboard on the sand, and the alien tried to follow him in much slower steps, limping.

"Sorry." Chanyeol mumbled shyly, tearing out Baekhyun’s first real smile that day. The alien followed him with his gaze, Baekhyun stopped beside the red creature and took one of his arms, passing over his shoulder to serve as support. 

"You are heavy." Grunted the blond boy while the two, now together, walked to the house.

"It's a possibility. Or you're just too small." 

Baekhyun stopped, making Chanyeol, who had a cheeky smile on his lips, stop too. They looked at each other for a moment until Baekhyun rolled his eyes, holding a laugh and continued walking.

"What are you doing here, anyway? Where did you come from?" Baekhyun asked, Chanyeol cleared his throat and seemed to think for a few moments.

"I don't know very well. I got lost when we were traveling and ended up here," he answered vaguely, not wanting to explain in detail. "And my planet is not very far, it is called Elyxion. It's different from Earth. Elyxion is more… rotten." 

"And everyone there is like you?" 

Chanyeol laughed nasally, "Like me? Red?" 

"Good." Baekhyun didn't look up to see Chanyeol's reaction, but the arm around his shoulder squeezed him harder. 

Chanyeol's body was cold and his skin was rough, Baekhyun felt strangely comfortable with the texture. It was different from anything he had ever felt, from everything he had ever seen. In respect to Chanyeol, he tried to ignore as much as possible the fact that the alien was naked, but his curiosity almost always spoke louder and made him glance at the skin. 

"No, not really." Chanyeol saw that they had already arrived at their destination, and waited puzzled Baekhyun to drop what he was holding and open the door of the house, moving fast to help Chanyeol to enter. 

"How nice that it was you who fell to Earth then." Baekhyun laughed softly and Chanyeol smiled, blinking as he appreciated the sound. 

Baekhyun left Chanyeol in the middle of the room to close the door, the alien looked at the place with attention. A sofa in the corner of the room, a big screen in front and a small table in the center with a cream mat underneath. The table had a cup and some books, but there were many shells spread over the glass. The walls were white, Baekhyun seemed not to be very interested in decoration. 

They were not familiar to Chanyeol, but he could make a connection with the things he had on his own planet. 

"What do you know about Earth?" Baekhyun asked when he had Chanyeol's arm on his shoulder again, guiding him to the bathroom. 

"I know about the environment, the languages, how humans live, the basic to communicate with the species. Not much about the culture." Chanyeol observed the photographs hanging on the corridor wall, the objects distracting him to the point of not noticing when he was standing in front of a sink. Chanyeol's expression rejoiced and with his good hand, he touched the marble. "I've never seen one up close." 

Baekhyun smiled from the corner as he let the water run, taking Chanyeol's wrist to position the wound under the water, a bit uncertain if the procedure for aliens and humans was the same. 

"I don't think I can take you to a hospital." Baekhyun whispered to himself, Chanyeol's ears trembled and the alien raised his gaze from the purple liquid running down his skin and leaving down the drain. 

"The place where they take care of people?" Chanyeol's accent rolled up and Baekhyun took his focus off the wound, nodding his head in confirmation. Chanyeol seemed satisfied with his hit. 

Baekhyun covered his eyes, not wanting to face what Chanyeol had in the middle of his legs in an embarrassing situation, and opened a closet under the sink, blindly taking out the first aid box with sprinkles and what was necessary to take care of Chanyeol's hand, would have to be enough not to make his cut worse. The alien straightened his posture, widening his green eyes when he found his reflection in the mirror. He controlled the will to touch and smiled at his reflected face, finding the red skin almost glowing as he stood out over the color of the bathroom.

Baekhyun sighed, turning off the faucet and taking Chanyeol's hand carefully, putting a gauze on the cut and arranging it in the best way so it wouldn't fall off. The alien seemed interested in what Baekhyun was doing, and gave up saying something when he realized how committed the human was.

Chanyeol thought, seeing that Baekhyun was blowing the strands that fell in his eyes away from his vision, then, with his other hand, he gently removed the blond hair from Baekhyun's forehead, the tip of his fingers scraping on the skin with a light layer of sweat. Baekhyun didn't move, and for an instant the alien thought he had done something wrong, but he saw the human take a deep breath and continue what he was doing. 

Baekhyun's heart beat fast, and his eyebrows gathered as he analyzed his work on Chanyeol's hand and judged it as acceptable. Baekhyun bit his lower lip, putting things together in the first aid kit while Chanyeol looked at his own hand with a gleam in his eyes. Baekhyun said under his breath "I don't know what to do with you. You need to go back to your home, you can't stay here." 

Chanyeol knew that one hour or another he would hear those words, and answered with a small smile "My ankle is not good enough for me to leave the Earth. And I have nowhere else to go."

Baekhyun swallowed dry, face flushed when helping Chanyeol to leave the bathroom. "What if someone finds out you're here? I'll just have an alien in my house like a pet? It's not a good idea." 

Chanyeol, who found amusement in the human's worries, was left in the hall as Baekhyun went to his room and returned quickly with a cloth in his hands. 

"Would you rather me sleeping on the beach? It's not very comfortable. Are you really going to leave me in this strange place alone?" Chanyeol smiled and Baekhyun snorted, throwing the cloth on his chest and turning to the wall.

"It's a pair of shorts, put that on," Baekhyun ordered and Chanyeol laughed softly, looking at the human's legs seeing that they would wear the same thing. He found Baekhyun a silly human, why would he turn around if he had already seen everything?

Chanyeol tried to act fast taking into account his injuries and nudged Baekhyun's shoulder when he finished. 

"It's a little small". Chanyeol commented and Baekhyun looked at him from top to bottom, giving him shoulders. 

"I had nothing bigger." 

"Do you like my body, Baekhyun?" The way Chanyeol spoke his name was satisfactory, it made a chill cross his spine when he pronounced it syllable by syllable. The human didn't know if Chanyeol left his voice lower on purpose when teasing him or was just playing with words, but it affected the boy anyway. Baekhyun let his chin fall off, looking anywhere but the alien. 

Baekhyun laughed nervously, a strangled laugh and far from being true "Why do you say that? 

"You didn't tell me to wear something like that," Chanyeol pointed to the tank top covering his torso. "Do you like to look at my body?" 

"No," Baekhyun replied in the speed of light, his voice so thin that Chanyeol raised an eyebrow when listening. "I just didn't think you needed it. Do you want it? I can give you one, no problem. I don't like it... Do you want it?" 

"I'm fine." Chanyeol smiled innocently and Baekhyun wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, sighing before looking at the bruised ankle. 

"How long do you think it will take to get well again?" Baekhyun helped him walk the corridor, indicating Chanyeol's foot with his head. Chanyeol, this time, put his hand lower, the position more like a hug. Baekhyun didn't think when he started drawing imaginary circles on the cold skin, enjoying what he felt on his fingers.

Baekhyun sat him on the couch, the piece of furniture that seemed too big now becoming small when he had the alien occupying it. Chanyeol answered with "Two or three days. Maybe even less, we recover quickly."

Baekhyun's expression was similar to someone being chased by a ghost, and the human soon disappeared in one part of the house. Chanyeol blinked a few times and rubbed the material on the sofa, finding it curious and comfortable. He swinged a leg waiting for Baekhyun to return.

Baekhyun picked up ice in the refrigerator with his thousand thoughts, in a mental battle about what he would do with the creature sitting on his sofa. He couldn't leave it alone on the streets, it was too dangerous and Chanyeol would end up kissing some other stranger, or scaring someone, or even meeting someone with bad intentions. Leaving him alone was out of the question, even more, hurt. 

At the same time, he had become unaccustomed to have the company of someone else in his home, unaccustomed to interact with other living beings except with essential words. His only company for years had been the reflection in the mirror, and now he needed to decide if he would have the company of something that was not even from planet Earth. Baekhyun smiled incredulously, thinking about what he had eaten for breakfast to take him to that moment. 

"You will stay here until you get better," Baekhyun announced as he left the kitchen, Chanyeol smiled as if he already knew it would happen. "But you need to take a bath tomorrow, you're already dirtying my sofa with sand." 

"As you wish." Chanyeol murmured and Baekhyun bent down beside him, lifting his leg and supporting him on the coffee table, the ice on top of his hurt ankle. It wasn't serious, Baekhyun had already felt that pain many times.

Chanyeol didn't show any reaction, nor did he move away from it, Baekhyun took it as a confirmation that he was fine. 

"You seem to understand these things." Said the admired alien, Baekhyun laughed and hit his leg, sitting next to him on the sofa. The human remained silent for a few seconds, looking at the pair of slippers on his feet. 

"Not exactly. When I hurt myself surfing I need to take care of it." Although Baekhyun had not completed his day, he felt sleepy and his voice transpired exhaustion. Anyway, Baekhyun thought it was normal, nobody would question his sanity if they were in his place. 

Chanyeol moistened his lips, analyzing what Baekhyun had just said "Surfing?" 

Baekhyun looked at him with his eyebrows together almost asking what had happened, but realization fell on his face faster. 

"Surfing is like walking on waves. They guide you." Baekhyun explained in lack of better words, but it seemed to be enough for Chanyeol, who shaked his head slowly and started to look around, getting used to Baekhyun's house. 

There was a tension between the two that Baekhyun couldn't explain, and because Chanyeol was acting so natural the human started to think he was imagining it. Baekhyun realized that his hand was getting closer and closer to the alien without him thinking twice, wanting to feel it. Maybe he was curious, willing to explore the unknown, but he couldn't deny that he was attracted. 

"What do they mean?" Baekhyun asked after a few minutes in silence, pointing to the symbols on Chanyeol's body. The alien also looked, stretching his arms to the delight of the human.

"Some are birthmarks, they serve to connect everyone in Elyxion". Chanyeol showed the marks on his forearm and wrist, beautiful patterns and lines marking his skin. "Others are fight marks." 

Chanyeol pointed to the back of his neck, the marks looked older but not as natural as the ones on his arms. They looked more painful. The alien had no discomfort on his face, but his voice had an indecipherable feeling. Baekhyun looked him in the eyes and Chanyeol sustained it, smiling minimal and taking the delicate hand.

Baekhyun felt his stomach turn and his mouth dried up, quickly looking away.

"You can touch, I know you're curious." Needless to say twice, Chanyeol felt his arms and neck being touched carefully by Baekhyun's thin fingers. The human traced the lines and circles carefully, his eyes shining and his mouth slightly opened. 

Chanyeol closed his eyes, letting Baekhyun touch where he wanted, his skin warming where it was being caressed. Baekhyun let a giggle escape, going down his arms and slowly climbing up to his chest, middle and index finger pretending to walk a trail on his body. Baekhyun didn't know what was considered too much, so he let himself go.

"Fights, you said?" Chanyeol opened his eyes when the question was asked near his ear, staring Baekhyun who was almost leaning on his muscles, eyelids barely opened and soft lips inches away from his cheek. 

Chanyeol opened his mouth, shaking his head then as if he gave up an idea. Baekhyun moved away for a moment, but Chanyeol replied "It's a form of entertainment on our planet, but it also serves to show our value within our society. The ranking is important, we fight every week to decide who will command and who will be commanded in Elyxion."

Chanyeol's voice was distant as he spoke, but soon recovered his smile and looked for Baekhyun's reaction, finding him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. 

"You have many marks, is this good or bad?" Baekhyun asked, part of his being was afraid of the answer.

"Good." Chanyeol nodded his head multiple times. "Every time we win a fight, we win a mark, a drawing. The more of them you have, the more respected you will be."

Baekhyun rested a hand on the alien's shoulder, trying to give him comfort. It didn't look like an easy planet to live on, and every time he found a new mark on Chanyeol's body, he shivered more. 

"What do you eat?" Baekhyun asked as he got up from the couch, Chanyeol missed the warmth at his side. 

"Human flesh." The alien smiled and Baekhyun took a step back, eyes wide open and almost fused to the wall beside him. Chanyeol laughed hysterically, waving his hand in denial "Whatever is natural, Baekhyun." 

"O-oh, all right." Chanyeol laughed even more to the stuttering Baekhyun, and the blond boy cursed him all the way to the kitchen. 

With a grimace, Chanyeol touched the same places Baekhyun had touched, unwittingly remembering the stories of his most visible marks. He looked out the window concentrating on the sound of the sea, his smile disappeared and gave way to a melancholic look, his posture becoming tenser. 

"I only have a few fruits," Baekhyun said in a tone of apology carrying a bowl of apples, bananas and grapes. Chanyeol awoke from his trance with that, putting a new smile on his face and taking what Baekhyun was holding, putting it on his lap. 

"Won't you eat too?" 

"No, I need to work." Baekhyun smiled weakly. "Do you think you will be fine alone? I can call and say that I'm not feeling well and miss today."

"I'll be fine, don't worry. I just need to sleep." Chanyeol made his heart beat faster with his sweet tone, Baekhyun waved silly with his hand. 

Not knowing what to do, the human went to his room leaving Chanyeol with the bowl of fruit, a large smile on his lips and his thoughts in the clouds. Baekhyun, for the first time in a long time, felt alive. 

When the blond boy returned home after eating ice cream all day and serving different types of cocktails at the beach bar where he earned his money, he found Chanyeol spread on the couch with the empty bowl on the coffee table and the melted ice flowing into his carpet. He breathed in relief, had thought about the alien more than he should have while serving his few clients. Was Chanyeol okay? Had he been able to get up from the couch if he needed to? Did anyone find him in his house?

"Is everything okay?" Had asked Kyungsoo, the boy of low stature and expressive, round eyes that didn't work very well, the thick, round glasses made him look like an intellectual in Baekhyun's vision. Kyungsoo was calm, dealt well with people, and often helped Baekhyun when he wanted to escape from everything and everyone. He was one of his only friends, perhaps the only one who really remembered.

"Yes," it wasn't very precise, Kyungsoo continued with his hand on his back. "Yes, it's okay. I was just thinking."

Kyungsoo nodded still suspiciously, cleaning the counter again. 

While Baekhyun was frightened and worried, he also held curiosity and fascination to know what was to come. He wanted to know everything about Chanyeol and Elyxion and wanted to teach about the earth to him too. Baekhyun wanted them to know about each other. 

With these thoughts, Baekhyun covered Chanyeol with a blanket, even thinking that the alien didn't need it. He watched Chanyeol for a moment and thought about the movies he had seen and how the protagonist kissed the girl's forehead after confessing, then smiled. His finger found the way to the curly hair without wanting to, Chanyeol moved his arm still sleeping making Baekhyun move away immediately.

Baekhyun shook his head, leaving the room after checking Chanyeol once again "You look weird, get a grip, Baekhyun." 

Looking at the sea through his bedroom window, the moon reflecting on the water and the stars shining, Baekhyun wondered if it would take him long to sleep. His body was tired, his mind was not. His hands itched to get his board and go into the sea, instead, he took off the tank top and laid on the bed, the icy metal of the necklace hitting the scar he had in the middle of his chest. He let out a loud laugh with his hands on his head, not believing he had let an alien sleep in his house.

Baekhyun dreamed of red and a pair of green eyes, but the feeling that something was wrong had gone. 

"You sleep heavy." That's what Baekhyun heard when he woke up, and he almost screamed before remembering the events of the previous day. 

"You almost gave me a heart attack, Chanyeol." The human spoke with a hand on his chest, panting and having to close his eyes when the intense sunlight hit his face. Chanyeol was dripping water, hair soaked and a big smile full of teeth giving him good morning. The alien seemed happy, it almost cheered up the grumpy spirit that lived in Baekhyun when he was woken up by someone else. 

"You looked like a rock, I was worrying a little." Chanyeol laughed and walked around the room, a little too comfortable for Baekhyun's taste, the boy groaned angrily and got up from bed with a jump. 

"Why are you all wet?" Baekhyun yawned and began to stretch.

"I took a bath, I had never used that thing in the bathroom before so I had to test it a few times. Fortunately, I had read about it in one of my books about Earth." Chanyeol smiled even more, opening Baekhyun's closet and checking what was inside, he didn't seem very interested. 

"Ah..." Baekhyun agreed as he got closer to the alien. "What about your ankle?" 

"Much better. My hand too." Chanyeol was stopped by Baekhyun before he opened a drawer of underwear, a slight flush on his cheeks. 

"That's personal." Murmured Baekhyun and Chanyeol smiled, raising an eyebrow as he looked at his body. 

"You're not wearing anything on top." Chanyeol continued looking and Baekhyun took time to notice, his reaction was to widen his eyes and instantly cover his nipples, his face on fire. 

"Stop looking, Chanyeol." Baekhyun laughed nervously and Chanyeol obeyed, leaving his line of sight with a smirk. 

"I don't know why everyone can't just be naked. Why is it such a big deal?" Chanyeol played with the elastic of the shorts as he spoke, Baekhyun groaned in shame and discontent trying not to think of a world that would be real. Being an alien should be interesting. 

"Wait for me in the living room, please?" Baekhyun asked, pushing him out of the room, Chanyeol walked out with a smile on his face. 

"What I got myself into." Baekhyun took a deep breath when he closed the door, looking at the clock without thinking. His eyes almost left orbit, he was more than two hours late to work. 

He ran to get his cell phone and call Kyungsoo, already knowing the lecture he would get as he tapped his index finger against the device. It rang and rang and rang until an angry voice picked up. 

"Where the hell are you, Baekhyun?" Kyungsoo asked with a dangerous tone, he was not aggressive, but Baekhyun knew his boss wanted his head for dinner after leaving him alone. 

"I'm sorry, Soo. I overslept." Baekhyun whined. "Do you still need my help? I'll be there in five minutes." 

Kyungsoo took time to answer and Baekhyun searched for his clothes, running around and almost stumbling in the process. He heard a glass noise and held his apprehensive breath, Kyungsoo sighed. 

"We both know you won't be here in five minutes, and we're not that busy today. Take a day off." Kyungsoo said, sounding like an order, Baekhyun stopped dressing and opened a smile. 

"You're too good for me.”

"I know." Kyungsoo smiled tired on the other side of the line. "Besides, you were weird yesterday, I think you need a rest."

"Thanks, boss. And I'm sorry." Baekhyun still felt guilty, an agreement noise left Kyungsoo's thick lips. 

"If that happens again I'll drag your ass here, Baekhyun. You awake or not." Kyungsoo, half-serious and half-joking, ended the call, leaving Baekhyun slightly scared.

When Baekhyun arrived in the room, after spending some time cleaning the mess that Chanyeol had made in the bathroom, almost turning the room into a swimming pool, now with his hair equally wet to Chanyeol’s and smelling of lavender, the TV was on and the alien seemed entertained while watching an extra mellow drama. His eyes didn't leave the screen even when Baekhyun stopped beside it.

"You learn fast." Baekhyun referred to the television on. The alien seemed to be good with technology. 

"I just pressed all the buttons. I felt it should do something." Chanyeol lifted the remote control off the couch with a weird smile. 

"Makes sense." Baekhyun thought about what they should have for lunch. He didn't want to end up poisoning Chanyeol by accident. 

He thought of a soup, he had a few vegetables in his refrigerator that would have to serve. He moved fast to put everything on the counter and start, not feeling Chanyeol's presence on his back minutes later. 

"What are you doing?" With his mouth glued to Baekhyun's ear, the alien asked as he looked at the human's busy hands, having to hold Baekhyun in place when he jumped and almost knocked the knife to the ground.

"You have to stop scaring me like that, how don't you make any noise?" Baekhyun tried to ignore his heart almost coming out of his chest and the shiver in his neck. Chanyeol's hands were on his shoulders, holding him for a longer time than necessary, and his body seemed very attentive to his movements. 

"You were focused.” Chanyeol tapped his back and stopped by his side. The feeling of the large chest leaving Baekhyun's back made him look to the side, the alien looking back with curiosity. "So, what are you doing?" 

"Cooking for us. I don't know if you'll like it." Baekhyun smiled, cutting a carrot as Chanyeol looked at his hair, going down to his eyebrows and beautiful eyes. 

"How old are you?" Chanyeol changed the subject, hip glued to the counter while watching Baekhyun move from one side to the other. 

"I'm 27." Baekhyun made a face, moving his hair away from his eyes. Time was passing fast. "And you?" 

"In human age? Around 30, I suppose." Chanyeol replied, scratching his chin. Baekhyun dropped his mouth slightly, hoping the alien would be younger.

"Have you been to other planets before?" Baekhyun cut a piece of tomato for himself, Chanyeol was playing with the carrot leaves.

"Yes, a few times. But I didn't have much time to talk to the beings there, they are not very friendly." Chanyeol laughed, remembering the times he got into arguments and fights just for a misunderstanding with different species. "But it's a tiring trip for our bodies, so we don't do it all the time."

"I wish we could do that too," Baekhyun commented in a dreamy tone. "Do you have any superpowers?" 

"Superpowers?" 

"Superpowers. I mean... fly, become invisible, change color." Baekhyun blamed his curiosity for looking like a child opening a gift. He almost gave up cutting the vegetables just to talk to Chanyeol. It was a unique opportunity, everyone would do the same if they had an alien in their kitchen, right? 

Chanyeol made a long hum when considering the question, tilting his head to the side "It's not exactly a superpower for us, just a characteristic of our species, but we can absorb knowledge very fast, teleport between planets, easy adaptation to different environments. We are also bigger and stronger than humans, generally speaking."

"T-That's amazing." Baekhyun stuttered, stopping what he was doing for a moment. Chanyeol laughed with a certain pride in his look. 

Chanyeol cleared his throat as Baekhyun quickly averted his gaze, continuing to look at his jaw and the defined cheekbones. Baekhyun had some marks on his face, several little dots that caught Chanyeol's attention, one even over the blond boy's mouth. Baekhyun's mouth was a pretty shade of pink. 

The alien felt like kissing him again for some reason, to have physical contact with the human, but thought it was not very appropriate due to his previous reaction, so he just naturally said "You are very beautiful, I never met someone like you on the planets I was on." 

Baekhyun's heart missed a beat, and almost cut his own finger when his brain processed that the praise had been for him. He swallowed hard and rushed to mumble "Thank you, no one has ever said that to me before.”

Baekhyun laughed softly and Chanyeol accompanied him, his smile slowly dying when the human turned and the eyes met, Baekhyun seemed emotional, a little restless. 

Brown and green mixed in a loving and understanding look, and at that moment the two felt alone in the world. Baekhyun dropped what he had in his hands and came closer, bodies almost touching, the alien not moving except for the hand that snaked around the human's waist when Baekhyun stood on tiptoe, the faces even closer and the tension more palpable.

A protective spell formed around Baekhyun and Chanyeol, they felt that nothing would reach them as they were attached to that millisecond their souls connected. However, this was shattered when Baekhyun whispered with an expression from someone who was about to make a fool of himself, "Will you help me cook?”

Chanyeol, caught by surprise and wondering if he was the only one feeling anything, just smiled with effort and confirmed with his head, his hand leaving Baekhyun's waist as slow as the blond boy turned to the counter and handed the knife into the alien's hands. 

"You can reach me the ingredients, I don't want you to hurt your hands." Still a little shaken, and with the confidence that he would find a way to make Chanyeol learn the name of all the ingredients in his kitchen - which were not many, Baekhyun was too lazy to go to the grocery store often, he survived with what he had at home - Baekhyun began to cut vegetables again, leaving Chanyeol to do what the human ordered. "By the way, I need to change the bandage. Does it hurt?"

Chanyeol took off the band that covered the cut, purple blood dirtying the tissue. To Baekhyun's surprise, the wound was no longer there, Chanyeol was cured as if he had never bled in the first place. "I don't think it's needed." 

"Aliens." Baekhyun giggled incredulously and rolled his eyes, cutting the vegetables again. The thought of what would have happened if he hadn't blurted out the first sentence that came to his mind when he was so close to Chanyeol was still hanging over his mind. 

They continued cooking in silence, more Baekhyun working and Chanyeol analyzing and occasionally learning something new when the human asked for some cutlery or an object he couldn't reach without a chair than anything else. Strangely, it wasn't uncomfortable, Baekhyun was used to silence, to being alone, not sharing what was happening in his internal war. Being in someone else's company was unusual, but Chanyeol seemed to respect his situation or understand it better than Baekhyun imagined. Perhaps that's why he felt connected to the alien, perhaps that's why he felt like telling all his dreams, wishes and deepest secrets. Or maybe he just had no one and found in Chanyeol what was missing to fill a void in his heart, a void that only sought warmth. Anyway, it was good, and Baekhyun wanted more.

And that way, with mutual consent that the silence in moments like that spoke more than words, the two in a calm rhythm managed to put the soup on the stove. Baekhyun could hardly believe that his limited culinary skills did not disappoint him. On the contrary, the soup, so far, seemed good.

"What do we do now?" Chanyeol wiped his hands and went back to face Baekhyun, who was now looking for something in one of the cupboards. 

He pulled out a simple little radio, dusty and so old that anyone would say it didn't work, but Baekhyun raised the antenna and turned it on, giving space to a song that reminded him of the time when he still lived in the city and as he sipped coffee in his car on the way to work every morning, he had the radio on at full volume. 

Chanyeol came closer and took the radio out of Baekhyun's possession, his thumb slowly passing through the material. He approached the sound to his ear, the surprise expression on his face making Baekhyun laugh. "That's cool, but there's no screen like the one in the room. We can only listen."

Baekhyun smiled in agreement, "It's music, don't you have it in Elyxion?" 

"If you consider the scary beats before the fights start music, then we do. In a way." Chanyeol smiled, returning the object to the human. "What is the purpose of music?"

"It doesn't have an exact purpose, you know? I listen to music for fun, other people listen when they need comfort. Each one likes a different type." He shrugged his shoulders, directing his gaze to the stove, and then put the radio on the counter, turning to Chanyeol. "Many like to dance." 

"Dance?" Repeated Chanyeol, more and more interested in the conversation. 

"Give me your hand." Baekhyun stretched his palm, a big smile on his lips that made Chanyeol smile too and put his hand on Baekhyun’s, a strange sensation passing through his body immediately. Baekhyun felt it too, but acted as if nothing had happened and intertwined their fingers, a big difference in size that made him chuckle. 

Baekhyun, this time, picked up the alien's waist, clumsily embracing him. "Now you put your hand here." The human pointed close to his neck, Chanyeol laughed confusedly and his fingers went down his collarbone until reaching his shoulder, squeezing over his shirt with an invisible question written on his forehead. 

"Is that dancing?" Asked Chanyeol while the slow music played in the background. Baekhyun laughed.

"No, you need to move. Like this," Baekhyun paused, rocking Chanyeol's body from side to side, trying to create a rhythm the alien would get used to. Chanyeol did the same, rocking his hips as if he were in an aerobics class, Baekhyun had a red face of so much laughter. "Calm down, for this kind of music, you can do it slower."

He guided Chanyeol with two steps to the side and two to the other, encouraging him to do the same and follow his movements. Chanyeol seemed to understand where Baekhyun wanted to go and laughed when, in an almost disastrous way, they moved through the kitchen in an improvised choreography.

"You have a knack for this." The smiley Baekhyun praised when trying to make Chanyeol do a spin, but could not reach more than his forehead. They both bursted into laughter again.

"Do you always dance like this?" 

"Well," Baekhyun began, still smiling, squeezing Chanyeol's hand that was next to his unconsciously. "Not exactly like that, but sometimes I dance alone." 

"You have to show me!" Chanyeol continued with the dance, now lazier as he sought the eyes of the human. 

"Chanyeol, I am shy." He whined and hid his head in Chanyeol's chest, his blond hair tickled the thick skin. The red hand resting on his shoulders stopped at the back of his neck, comforting Baekhyun in his own way. They stopped when the song ended, Chanyeol rocking Baekhyun in his arms like a baby, the human feeling sleepy and beginning to realize that the alien should protect the people he loved very well, his arms were firm and his hands touched with delicacy. However, Baekhyun did not know what love for Chanyeol was like, if they valued and saw it in the same way that humans did. 

"Can we stay like this for a little while?” Baekhyun's voice came out muffled against Chanyeol's skin, the alien looked at the pile of blond hair below his chin.

"Why?" Chanyeol asked with his heavier accent, curiosity in his tone.

"I've never been like this with anyone," Baekhyun confessed, closing his eyes as he tightened the hold on Chanyeol's waist. It was a strange position, the hands were still together, but neither of them saw the need to separate. "It's good. Don't you think so?" 

Chanyeol laughed, trying to remember the last time he was with someone like that. Probably never, the people of Elyxion had peculiar ways of showing affection, intimacy was not quite a word known as it seemed to Earthlings. Humans were warm, or at least the one lying on his chest was. "Yes, I think."

Time passed quickly while they were in that position, for countless minutes the two bodies remained together, Baekhyun was so warm that he could have sworn he had warmed the alien's icy skin. He had talked to himself while hugging his waist with both arms, using Chanyeol like a giant teddy bear. Having random thoughts invading his head was something normal, he wasn't a person to vent around or to have his own conversations with someone other than Kyungsoo, but at that moment, the only thing he could think about was Chanyeol. How comfortable he felt, how real he felt, part of something. 

"It was very good, Baekhyun. Where did you learn to cook like that?" Chanyeol, with his mouth full of soup, asked with his big green eyes while eating at the kitchen table. Baekhyun blushed lightly, perceptible only to those who looked at him closely, he was not so used to compliments and was the second that Chanyeol released, as if he didn't care for the consequence of his words.

"With life," Baekhyun said, half uncertain, the shadow of a smile on his lips, Chanyeol smiled widely and looked at him as if he asked to keep talking. "I've lived alone for a long time, so I needed to learn not to die of hunger. It's nothing extraordinary, and I still think that one day I will set the house on fire with how forgotten I am."

Chanyeol made a sound of appreciation and continued eating as if he hadn't seen food for days. "Open your mouth."

Baekhyun almost choked on his soup, the spoon stopping in the air as he watched Chanyeol approach his chair with expectation in his eyes. The human shook his head in denial, without understanding. "Why would I open my mouth?"

"So I can feed you," Chanyeol spoke as if it was obvious and Baekhyun's face burned, his bangs falling in his eyes when he lowered his head. He couldn't avoid all the romance movies he ever watched coming back to his memory. The alien shouldn't see anything special in it and Baekhyun was with his heart leaping down his throat, how silly he was.

"Is this another tradition among your people?" Baekhyun murmured before dropping his chin, Chanyeol smiled and filled a spoon with the soup, taking the human's chin first. 

They looked at each other for a few seconds, Baekhyun almost panting and Chanyeol still smiling, a singular glow in his eyes. The spoon approached, the grip on his chin stronger. "You can say so, I think."

Baekhyun's lips wrapped around the metal of the spoon and soon the taste of soup filled his palate, Chanyeol accompanied his tongue wiping the corners of his mouth and seemed satisfied, settling in the chair again. Baekhyun's heart was still racing, and his cheeks were still red. He didn't know if he was feeling it out of embarrassment or was enjoying it.

"When we feel protection directed at someone, we feed the creature in the mouth. No matter what it is, we just need to want to protect it, take care of it. It can also be a feeling of ownership, lovers often do this when they are jealous of their partners." Chanyeol didn't look at Baekhyun as he spoke, focusing on the plate in front of him. 

Silence filled the kitchen long enough for Chanyeol to almost hear the gears in Baekhyun's head working.

The human’s heart almost jumped, and his mouth was faster than his brain when he said "And which one of these do you feel for me?”

"Do you need to be protected, Baekhyun?" Chanyeol took the soup to the mouth, Baekhyun looked between the radio on the counter and the alien again and again. 

"I don't know." He answered sincerely, squeezing the spoon between his fingers.

"Then I can't answer you." Smiling small, Chanyeol finished the plate and got up like a lively puppy. "Can I eat more?" 

Baekhyun let the air out through his nose, rolling his eyes as he calmed his breath "Yes, Chanyeol." 

Confusion watered the flowers in Baekhyun's heart and little by little he felt them sinking into feelings. He was so comfortable near Chanyeol that he could swear to know him for life, and Baekhyun barely knew him for one day. For Baekhyun, who had only one friend in his life and a collection of shells as his greatest pride, Chanyeol was his salvation. The red in the middle of his white canvas was passion, energy, an impulse that gave him the courage to try something new. 

"Have you always lived alone?" The alien asked when looking at the pictures around the house, they were watching television with a sleepy Baekhyun. The human got startled, and yawned before responding.

"No, for a long time I lived with my family." Baekhyun ran a hand through his hair, looking at the same point as Chanyeol. His brother in a suit and tie and his self from the past with polished shoes and a diploma in hands smiled from inside the portrait. "We disagreed about some things, so I left home. I haven't heard from them in a few years."

Chanyeol raised his eyebrows in surprise, a smile that did not reach his eyes formed on his red face, he was also far from his family, the difference is that he could not see them again. "They won't take you back?" 

"Kind of." Baekhyun paused, his voice getting weaker. "They wanted one thing for my future, I wanted another. I was unhappy, and my family became more and more successful. I needed to find refuge in something, so the beach welcomed me."

"Do you miss them?" Chanyeol played with his fingers when talking, looking at a specific photo in which Baekhyun smiled in a playground, he looked younger, his hair was long, a woman was standing behind him with a monotonous expression on her beautiful face.

"I do, a lot." He smiled in sorrow. "But we don't get along. I love my family, but they are in another moment of their lives, they expect another Baekhyun. Someone I can't be."

"Do you like to be alone?" Chanyeol asked out of curiosity, he too wanted to learn how to deal with his own loneliness, Baekhyun was more experienced in living on his own. 

"I always felt alone, even surrounded by people." Baekhyun shrugged, conscious of Chanyeol's body brushing against his when he moved his arm, his leg swinging anxiously. "Sometimes it's boring, not having anyone, you know? Living the same things every day. But you get used to it, I talk to myself, I am my own company when I go to dinner and I am the only one in bed when I go to sleep. I can't fix it, and I can't go back to my old life either." 

"You get used to it." Chanyeol repeated, more to himself than to Baekhyun, who agreed with his head and sighed, his leg stopping in place. He still smiles, so it shouldn't be so bad, the alien thought. 

"May I?" Chanyeol pointed to his head and then to Baekhyun's lap, the human took off his hands and soon had his legs full of a big alien, his hair spread on the sofa and his smiling lips facing Baekhyun. 

"You are clingy." The human groaned, cautiously taking one of his hands to Chanyeol's head and caressing his hair, the black threads curling in his fingers. Chanyeol laughed, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the contact. 

"Just a little bit."

"I still can't believe that you are real." He let his other hand pass through his nose and cheeks with a rough texture, Chanyeol's chin had a tiny scar and his lips were full, soft. When Baekhyun climbed his fingers to his forehead, Chanyeol opened his eyes, the intense green looking at him with fun. 

"I am." Chanyeol did the same with Baekhyun's face, but counted the little spots he had on his skin, stopping at the one that most caught his attention, the one above his mouth. "And now I'm touching you."

Baekhyun's eyes went down to his mouth, Chanyeol's thumb brushed against his lips and gently separated them, resting his finger in the warm region. Baekhyun blushed, his heart beating strong. 

"Your skin is so soft." Chanyeol caressed his cheek, the human tilted his head and leaned into his touch like a kitten, his stomach full of butterflies. The act made Chanyeol smile until his face hurt, and one of the marks on his wrist, near Baekhyun's mouth, shone intensely. Baekhyun didn't see it, because his eyes had been closed involuntarily, but Chanyeol swallowed dry.

The alien had never had a lover before, a being to spend Elyxion's cold nights with, he didn't know exactly why. He had had his experiences, his first kiss, but never the need to claim someone, to call his own. He had never given food in anyone's mouth, but he didn't say that to Baekhyun. Chanyeol didn't want the boy to think he was going too fast, that he was being disrespectful, Baekhyun was just so kind, and smelled good. If Baekhyun was an inhabitant of Elyxion, Chanyeol would not be single. 

He couldn't explain what he felt when looking at the human, it was a connection that left his legs shaking, his hands trembling, his head aching and his lips burning, begging for a kiss. Was that love? Is that what his friends and parents felt? Chanyeol didn't know if it was real and if he was right to have so many emotions living inside him, but as he watched Baekhyun fall asleep on the couch, he just thought about how beautiful the human was.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Later that same day, after Baekhyun had several internal outbreaks and a pair of numb legs when he woke up and saw how they were on the couch, the human twisted his mouth when he looked at the sides more than he paid attention to Chanyeol. 

"There is no one here. What's the worst that can happen? And you put this on me." Chanyeol pointed to the hoodie covering his head, the piece looked childish on his body, but he didn't complain when he saw the pout on Baekhyun's face. 

Baekhyun sighed, the surfboard beside him was asking not to worry so much and go straight to the sea, but he still held a little bit of fear. He joked that he wanted Chanyeol to see him surf, but the alien took it seriously and there they were, Baekhyun kicking the sand and Chanyeol with a lively smile. At the time, Baekhyun found a good idea, he could show one of his passions and still kill the longing for water, could show something new to Chanyeol. Baekhyun realized very late that he was scared.

"In my defense, you are very easy to spot." Baekhyun punched his arm weakly. "I... am afraid someone will try to hurt you."

"No one will hurt me, look at me." Chanyeol laughed softly as he lifted Baekhyun's chin gingerly, staring at his brown eyes. The human swallowed dry, the tip of his fingers white as he held the surfboard tighter. "See? I'm strong, Baekhyun, it's okay." 

He wasn't sure yet, but Baekhyun just closed his eyes for a few seconds and agreed, his hand losing its firmness. "Come on. Let me know if you see someone coming, please." 

The alien pulled his hair away from his forehead and smiled, seeing Baekhyun's cheeks turning scarlet red. 

"You," his voice came out strangled, Baekhyun cleared his throat, embarrassed. "Do you have a sea like this in Elyxion?"

"Similar, I think. But we didn't surf." Chanyeol explained as they walked towards the water, ripping a laugh out of Baekhyun. 

"Do you think humans are strange?" Asked Baekhyun, his feet sinking into the sand and leaving small footprints compared to what the alien did. He particularly found humans strange, money-obsessed, self-centered. 

"Not strange, different. We all have our own ways of looking at what's different, I like to look for similarities in those differences. Other species may find me an abomination, humans may find me a threat, I can't judge them for being afraid to find the new." Chanyeol left his eyes on the horizon and looked at Baekhyun. "You are not afraid of the new. You are brave, Baekhyun."

"I think that after some time alone, the new is what I'm looking for." They stopped in front of the sea, the water almost wetting their toes. Chanyeol looked down, Baekhyun did the same. "Are you afraid of something?"

"I'm afraid of power." Chanyeol got closer until a wave ended in the middle of his calf, fixing the hood on his head. Baekhyun had a million questions on the tip of his tongue, but at no moment he questioned his answer. 

"I'm afraid of drowning." Baekhyun let out, stopping beside Chanyeol who was watching the sun slowly leaving. The alien laughed as he looked confused at his side.

"Yet you love the sea. You live here." 

"When you love something, one way or another, you take risks." He said in a definitive tone, bright eyes lost in the sight for a moment. Chanyeol grinned, Baekhyun was peculiar.

"Go, I'll save you if something happens." Chanyeol threw water at Baekhyun, miscalculating when hitting all his face and soaking his hair. The blond boy looked at him shocked, Chanyeol bursted into laughter.

"You scared me." Baekhyun cried, pretending to be sad as Chanyeol got closer, now worried that he had really upset Baekhyun. The alien, seconds later, was equally wet to Baekhyun as the human imitated his act, even worse and with more water. Chanyeol stared serious at him, Baekhyun thought about running away, but they both laughed when Chanyeol gave it back and turned the moment into a water war.

Baekhyun tried to run, but Chanyeol just threw more water and chased him, getting even wetter in the process with Baekhyun being more aggressive. The two stayed in a competition until Baekhyun ran out of breath laughing so much, he stopped in place and held Chanyeol's wrist before he could continue. "Watch me, ok?"

"Of course," Chanyeol answered laughing, Baekhyun moved away the black hair glued on his forehead with a big smile. The alien felt his heart beating faster, his eyes widened and with them he saw Baekhyun going deeper into the sea. 

Chanyeol sat on the sand to look at Baekhyun, now understanding why the human loved the sea so much. He was in his natural environment, his home, Baekhyun seemed a fundamental part of the sea, as if he had been born with it. He glided between the waves with ease, and even when he fell, he was quick to get up and continue with the same enthusiasm. Baekhyun looked like fire crossing the water, Chanyeol was honored to witness that scene.

Slowly, the sun said goodbye and the sky turned orange, Baekhyun got tired and Chanyeol smiled longer, his hands playing with the beach sand. He tried to memorize the vision and the sensation at that exact moment, of the clothes against his skin and the wind kissing his face, messing his hair. Chanyeol had no one beside him at that time, but when looking at the sea, at Baekhyun playing with the water, he didn't feel alone. He embraced his knees, and when his hand accidentally scraped against his ankle, he realized that the color was normal again, bright red. Chanyeol was fine, ready to leave Earth.

"Do you want to take a bath with me?" Baekhyun said shyly the next day to the alien standing at the bathroom door, Chanyeol looked at him surprised. They had slept on the living room floor, some blankets and pillows spread out as they talked all night long. Chanyeol held Baekhyun when the human laid on his chest, looking for his hand.

"Why?" Chanyeol closed the door behind him, Baekhyun played with his fingers, nervousness stamped on his face.

"As you said, it's not a big deal... I mean, I've seen you naked anyway, you know? We could save some time, I don't know. You don't have to do that, it's just a stupid idea." The human was beating himself up mentally, regretting the idea before he even completed it. Not having the courage to see Chanyeol's reaction, Baekhyun kept looking at the white tiles in the bathroom. 

The truth was that not even Baekhyun knew the reason of having suggested it, his heart was stronger and he could be sincere, he wanted to be close to Chanyeol without barriers, he wanted to feel their bodies touching like the night before. 

"What are you waiting for?" Chanyeol asked with a smile as he got rid of his shorts and got into the bathtub that Baekhyun had tenderly filled. The water was warm and covered half his chest as he sank his body, folding the legs that barely fit into the small space.

"Can you look the other way for a second?" Baekhyun glanced at his own feet, Chanyeol hummed and entertained with his reflection in the water, although a part deep inside asked him to just admire Baekhyun. Chanyeol wouldn't break his trust.

Baekhyun took a breath along with courage and took off his shirt and shorts quickly, the icy metal from his chain bringing reality when hitting his skin. He didn't give up, he just walked in light steps to the bathtub, next to Chanyeol. The alien knew he was close, but he didn't lift his head or say a word.

"Close your eyes, please." Baekhyun threw more bath foam in the water, until it was no longer clear, a little smile forming when he saw Chanyeol beating his feet in the bathtub at his own pace. 

The two would not fit in the bathtub if Baekhyun stayed too far away, so with his fast heartbeat, he sat in the middle of Chanyeol's legs, his back meeting the alien's chest and the skins finally colliding. Chanyeol was beginning to feel nervous, agitated with Baekhyun's temperature and his soft skin so close, his fingers burned to feel it, his hands in fists at the sides of the bathtub. 

"You can open," Baekhyun whispered in his ear, Chanyeol meeting his eyes as the human laid his head on his shoulder, blond and thin hair against the alien's skin. Baekhyun still smelled of lavender and sea. 

"You're so pretty, Baekhyun, not even the brightest star in the sky compares to you." Chanyeol's voice echoed through the bathroom, Baekhyun's heart warmed up, eyes shining in affection. His hands wrapped around Chanyeol's, and taking his time the human kissed each of his fingers, placing one of them on his chest as he finished with a kiss on Chanyeol's wrist.

"Touch me?" The request was made with his voice raw, despair and desire leaving his lips as fast as Chanyeol's touched his shoulder, promising him silently.

Chanyeol's hands relaxed and came to Baekhyun's arms, massaging from top to bottom until the human softened in his chest, slowly slipping more in the bathtub. His whole body was shivering, his hands trembled and his breathing began to fail, he could feel Chanyeol's heart beating on his back, the feeling gave him comfort. 

"I don't think myself worthy to touch you. Look at yourself, how could anyone be like that?" Chanyeol cooed. His lips touched the lobe of his ear and with affection went to his neck, paying attention to the moles that marked the skin one by one.

"I-I feel things." Baekhyun managed to speak before Chanyeol's hands found the way to his nipples, the erect buttons being surrounded by the rough tips of thick fingers. Baekhyun's knees stood up in the water, his legs spread open, and a long sigh filled the void in the bathroom. 

Chanyeol kissed behind his ear, the sweet smell making him salivate, Baekhyun held with slippery fingers the edges of the bathtub, his nipples stuck between Chanyeol's forefinger and thumb. The difference in temperature was no longer uncomfortable, and between a gasp and a moan, Baekhyun began to follow the red hand touching him. 

Tentatively, the fingers went down to his belly, tracing a circle around the navel, one of the hands going to his thighs, resting on his weak leg. Chanyeol touched his knees, kissing his cheek as he said how beautiful he was, delighted with the way Baekhyun's back arched as he approached his crotch, his red lips half-open and eyes closed, the eyelashes pressing aggressively against each other. 

"Even the sounds leaving your mouth are beautiful." Chanyeol kissed the tip of his nose as he scratched the inside of his thigh strong enough to redden the skin, but not enough to make Baekhyun complain. The blond boy moaned, his eyebrows together in pleasure, Chanyeol answered with one more wet kiss on the back of his neck. The warm desire forming at the end of his belly consumed Baekhyun, along with the impatience so pertinent that forced him to take Chanyeol's hand further down, his fingers inches away from touching where Baekhyun longed. 

When Chanyeol touched him, he felt the butterflies in his stomach fly freely, his heart in his ear and he was sure that Chanyeol heard it too, blood flowed so fast through his veins, his body so warm. He was shivering, his thighs trembling, lost in the explosion of colors blinding him and his lips only knew how to ask for more, more touches, more Chanyeol. 

The alien discovered his skin, his weak spots, his smell, his taste, his expression of pleasure, saw Baekhyun squirming and begging, found his marks and scars, the right way to have him trembling beautifully, with his cheeks stained with warmth and tears piling up in his eyes, ready to fall when Chanyeol did it faster.

When the human dissolved in his hands and the water changed color, Chanyeol knew why the marks on his shoulders haven't stopped shining since the first second he had Baekhyun in his arms.

"We spent the whole afternoon in the bathtub, I didn't even see the time go by," Baekhyun said smiling, drying his hair as Chanyeol hugged his waist, kissing the top of his head with an equally bright smile. "I missed work again, Kyungsoo will not be happy."

Baekhyun grudgingly left Chanyeol's strong arms and went looking for his cell phone in bed, dropping the towel in the process while the alien looked at him with curiosity. 

"Kyungsoo?" Murmured Chanyeol, an eyebrow raised. 

"My friend and boss," Baekhyun answered, unlocking his cell phone and seeing several lost messages, all asking where he was. He swore under his breath with the last one, a simple balloon saying they would solve it the next day. If it was someone else in Baekhyun's place, they would be fired, but his boss had no other choice but to keep him at work. Besides being friends and Kyungsoo having a soft spot for Baekhyun, not many people liked to serve drinks on a beach.

"My only friend is my brother," Chanyeol told Baekhyun as he finished typing an excuse, the human looked up with interest.

"What is his name?" Baekhyun asked, Chanyeol looked at the portraits on the wall of his room with his lip twisted, the glow in his eyes weakening.

"Sehun. You would like him, he is fearless like you." Chanyeol touched Baekhyun's face in one of the pictures, four people in front of a tall building. Baekhyun was different from the other pictures he saw, his smile was not so big. 

Baekhyun thought that for a fearless person, he still was afraid of many things.

"I'm sure he was. If he is like you, I would love to meet him." Baekhyun came closer, putting a hand on Chanyeol's back, the alien smiled and stroked his hair, both of them looking at the family photos.

"He looks just like you." Chanyeol pointed to the photo with the two men in suits, Baekhyun laughed softly.

"He's my older brother, Hyun." The laughter became a little smile. "My family expected me to be a mini version of him. That didn't work, I guess." 

Chanyeol moved his eyes to another photo, it looked older, they all had the same four people.

"Why?" Chanyeol didn't know the right question to ask, but Baekhyun seemed to understand.

"I couldn't take it anymore, working behind a desk was never my thing. Hyun was born for it, to follow in my father's footsteps, to be like him and to keep the family going". Baekhyun walked a few steps to the picture where he, his mother and his brother were in an ice cream parlor. His father had no time that day. "I had everything, you know? Everything money can buy, name it, and I had it. My father always wanted more, more power, more money, so I had to study what he wanted, to have the life he planned for me and help him grow his company."

Baekhyun sighed when blinking a few times, Chanyeol no longer looked at the pictures, only the human. "I never had time to discover what I wanted to be. I think at a certain point I wanted to be an astronaut. But I ended up coming to the beach with the money I got, I bought this house and saved the rest for emergencies."

"And why the beach?" Chanyeol asked, even if he had an idea of the answer.

"I don't know, I just wanted the most different, something I could explore. And here it's very big, the sea." Baekhyun smiled, with his chin pointing to the view in the window. "I learned to surf with Kyungsoo. I found him when I moved in, I looked so tired that he offered me a drink. We became friends so fast, it was strange to me." 

"You belong here," Chanyeol concluded, stopping behind Baekhyun, looking at the beach just like him.

"No." Baekhyun shook his head, playing with his fingers. "I love the beach like I love my family, they are things that, in one way or another, are part of who I am, but I don't belong anywhere. I love being near the water, the sand, collecting shells, but it doesn't bring me the same happiness as before, when I got here. One of the main reasons I left town was because I couldn't live in the same routine, I wanted the new every day, and here I got lazy, I left everything aside."

Baekhyun paused seeking Chanyeol's hand to intertwine with his, the alien soon made his wish come true and connected their fingers. Baekhyun's heart calmed down. "I just don't want to get stuck here. I need to look for new things, explore, you know? Not get stuck in a routine. Be around new things. I don't know if this is childish or unrealistic, but it's what I need." 

"You just don't have to be afraid, Baekhyun. Life is too short to be afraid to... live." Chanyeol smiled lightly when the human laid his head on his shoulder, shaking his hand like a sign that he was listening. "You're already so far away, you should do what makes you happy. You have the right to make your own choices now."

"I know." Baekhyun laughed, leaning his forehead against the alien's arm. "My mother was strict, she had a strange way of loving her children. I had many rules, from the time I brushed my teeth to bedtime. I couldn't watch certain things, I needed to study certain subjects and I couldn't go out with children my age, she said it was to keep us focused on the future, not to lose our way and be successful in the future. I don't know how true that was, but now I'm free."

Chanyeol kissed his forehead countless times, absorbing Baekhyun's words as they watched the night begin to appear. Baekhyun, happy, closed his eyes. He was fine now. 

"We could take new pictures." A lamp lit on the top of Chanyeol's head with his idea, a big smile on his lips, Baekhyun walked away with his eyes wide-open and full of enthusiasm. 

"I think my camera is still here, wait." Baekhyun opened his wardrobe, taking off some sweaters until he found his old camera, Chanyeol looked in confusion, but soon the expression dissolved and the two smiled excitedly.

"Stay in front of the window, I'll take your picture." Baekhyun pointed and Chanyeol did what was asked, giant smile when looking at the human, the sky serving as a background for the photography. The "click" was heard, Baekhyun laughed and ran to show the result to the alien. 

"I look good," Chanyeol said smugly, Baekhyun rolled his eyes and did not verbalize his agreement in order not to increase Chanyeol's ego. 

Baekhyun cleared his throat and gave the camera in Chanyeol's hands. "Your turn, click here." He pointed to the button and went to the place before occupied by Chanyeol, making a peace sign with his fingers and closing one of his eyes. A smile appeared and Chanyeol looked at him for a few seconds on the screen before clicking, affection stamped on his face when showing to Baekhyun. 

The two laughed and Baekhyun held the camera against his chest, hoping that Chanyeol could read his gratitude. "Now together, come here." 

Chanyeol went behind Baekhyun and bent down as his chin rested on the broad shoulder, kissing his neck before smiling at his arms stretched with the camera at the end. Baekhyun shivered and sent a kiss as a pose, taking another one of the two making a cute face. 

His gallery, minutes later, was full of pictures of him with the alien, in all positions and with all possible faces. Creating new memories, eternalizing a unique moment in Baekhyun's life. He would need to put all of them in the wall, replace the ones he had with something even more precious. 

"We should take some on the beach, what do you think?" Suggested Baekhyun when passing the camera cord around his neck, Chanyeol kissed his cheek slowly. The skin became pink and warm under his lips. 

"Are you sure?" Chanyeol held his face between his hands, caressing the mole on his temple. 

"What's the worst that can happen?" Using Chanyeol's phrase as an answer, Baekhyun put one of his hands above his, the delicate fingers passing through the rough texture. 

"You're right, let's go." With a kiss on his forehead that left Baekhyun giggling softly, Chanyeol passed his arm over Baekhyun's shoulders, both of them leaving the room after the human searched for a hoodie in his wardrobe, in case someone was at the beach. 

Chanyeol was glad that the beach was practically deserted, or he would be the one afraid of something happening.

When they left through the door, the cold breeze of the night greeted them, the blond hair became messy and Baekhyun smiled, closing his eyes while enjoying the smell of sea and sand. Chanyeol squeezed him more against his side, checking if they were alone. 

"I have to do something first, come with me." They made several footprints in the sand until they got where Baekhyun wanted; his bar with Kyungsoo. He left Chanyeol's arms and walked a few steps towards a part of the sand, dirtying his hands to find the key that opened the establishment. 

"I hope Kyungsoo will forgive me for this." Baekhyun murmured to himself when he hit his finger against something solid, the buried key going into his hands. While opening the bar, Chanyeol looked with curiosity, several flowers and anchors decorated the wooden space, it was small and simple. It matched the beach.

Baekhyun entered and returned with a bowl of strawberries on his arm and a big cheeky smile on his face, while previously preparing his apology for Kyungsoo and the money to replace what he took. 

"Done." Baekhyun winked when he finished burying the key in the sand and Chanyeol smiled small, putting his arm back around his body. 

"You are full of surprises." Chanyeol chuckled as they walked again, Baekhyun taking them to a point that the water did not reach.

In silence, they sat down and crossed their legs, Baekhyun putting the strawberry bowl in the middle of the two and clapping his hands to take away the sand. Chanyeol sighed, placing the Baekhyun's camera on top of the hoodie, his eyes traveling to the waves of the sea.

"It's so quiet here," Chanyeol said low, combining the tone of his voice with the noise of the water. Baekhyun nodded his head in confirmation, taking one of the strawberries in the bowl and taking it to his mouth.

"Sometimes it irritates me a little, all this silence." Baekhyun finished chewing and looked at the sky particularly more starry than usual, the moon shining and reflecting on the water, the sand being carried lightly with the wind. Everything was serene, full of peace.

"Elyxion is so noisy, I could get used to a place like this." Chanyeol also took a strawberry, Baekhyun turned to face him. For a moment the human let the noise of the waves fill the silence, but soon a question came into his head.

"What is your house like in Elyxion?" Baekhyun asked, taking another fruit to his mouth.

"Similar to yours, but totally different." Chanyeol laughed as he lowered his head, the free hand made a drawing of a circle in the sand with some windows and a big door with some buttons on the side. Baekhyun stopped eating to watch him draw, and it was what Chanyeol had described, different, but he could get an idea of what each thing was. "I live with my mother, my father and Sehun. My father built our house before I was born, and increased its size when my mother was pregnant with Sehun. You see this, don't you? It's a circle, you can expand it with our technology."

"Wow, that's..." Baekhyun looked mesmerized at Chanyeol erasing the drawing and increasing its size. "I don't understand, is your technology advanced at this point?"

"Yes," Chanyeol put a whole strawberry in his mouth with his free hand, chewing and swallowing quickly. "Our technology is constantly improving, and our ability to absorb knowledge faster allows us to make sure the process doesn't take too long."

"But how come you didn't know how to turn on the TV? And you never had seen a radio before." Baekhyun shook his head in confusion, Chanyeol wiped his hands and faced the sea again, seriousness taking place on his face. 

"We learn by connecting ourselves to a big computer, Baekhyun. We have thousands of folders with files we call books. We learn about all the planets in the galaxy in a matter of minutes, but the most important ones are the ones we must pay more attention to, study more so that we can travel to them, eventually invade them." Millions of things went through Baekhyun's mind, but Chanyeol continued. "I didn't know about your technology because we never had contact with it in Elyxion. We didn't go through that phase."

"So our technology is not very advanced, but outdated?" Baekhyun, with a frown, came closer to Chanyeol. 

"Exactly." Chanyeol smiled weakly, Baekhyun was taken aback when he found his eyes full of pain, the glow had gone away long ago. "I don't say this wanting to be mean, but the Earth is not a powerful planet. Elyxion had no interest in taking this planet."

"Invade, take? What do you mean?" Baekhyun asked quickly.

"Well, the person in power at Elyxion decides which planet to invade. The more planets in our possession, the greater will be our importance in the galaxy, along with our technology. Usually, they take the population to our planet by force and decide who will stay during the fights. Who loses, does not have a happy ending." His voice was a mixture of pain and an inexplicable feeling, his gaze was far away, Baekhyun leaned on his arm.

"And who was the last person to lead?" 

"Me." Chanyeol murmured and Baekhyun paralyzed, the only reason for the alien to turn his eyes to him and analyze his reaction. Chanyeol swallowed dry, looking back to his lap. 

"Chanyeol... d-did you invade planets too?" Baekhyun asked with fear of the answer, with fear of his vision about Chanyeol changing, fear of Chanyeol doing things Baekhyun couldn't even imagine.

"No, I didn't." Chanyeol laughed even if the situation was not funny, with self-pity, disappointment in himself. Baekhyun had no time to feel relief because soon a wave of worry took him, Chanyeol continued with his broken voice, losing the emotion little by little. "I was useless to Elyxion, I couldn't do what everybody expected from me. They revolted, said I should have been firm, take no pity on other species and think only of Elyxion. I couldn't." 

"You know you don't have to..." Baekhyun said as he squeezed his arm intensely, reminding Chanyeol that he was there. 

"In Elyxion, you can't choose who you'll fight." Chanyeol interrupted him, his voice emotionless, his accent getting heavier. "That's how I became a leader in the first place, the people also revolted with the old one and I was chosen. I won, I trained since I was a child with my father. I didn't know what to feel, the old leader had fallen in the ranking to the last position and when you fall there, you never get back, you are despised. As I grew up, I never left the top five positions in the Elyxion ranking, my family was proud, everybody knew who I was. I was scared but satisfied with myself, I had succeeded."

Chanyeol let the air out through his mouth, focusing on the feeling of Baekhyun's hand on his arm, in his presence. 

"I led for a while, peacefully and paying attention to the lowest in the ranking, but one day, when I woke up, my mother told me the news. Elyxion was opposing its leader again, she fed me and told me to prepare myself to fight. I hugged my father." Chanyeol's hands trembled, and his eyes burned as he remembered the tap on the back his father gave him for the last time, the look loaded with fear and a smile that tried to give determination. "When I arrived at the arena, many were there, with a smile watching me, waiting for me to fall. On one hand, I wasn't afraid, I trusted my skills, I had no one who could defeat me. On the other, I also knew that if I won, I would have to lead Elyxion the way everyone expected, with blood staining my hands." 

Baekhyun hugged his body the best way he could, supporting his chin on his arm, his heart aching with Chanyeol's voice, with the story he told. Baekhyun wanted to ask him to stop, but he felt that Chanyeol needed to say everything out loud.

"And when they took out the name..." Chanyeol sniffed, his whole body trembling. "It was my brother's name. I would have to fight against my brother, Baekhyun."

"But you didn't," Baekhyun whispered, knowing the answer, Chanyeol's trembling body jumped, he shook his head.

"I didn't." Chanyeol smiled melancholy with his eyes red. "I paralyzed, I fell to my knees when I saw Sehun entering the arena, he was still a teenager, he didn't know what was happening. When I saw his face, I left running, as fast as I could so nobody could reach me. I ran to the first planet that came to my mind. I couldn't predict that halfway through my energy would end, and I needed to land on Earth."

"Chanyeol, this is terrible, you shouldn't have to go through all this. I can't believe it." Baekhyun felt his own eyes fill with tears, squeezing Chanyeol harder in his arms, kissing his shoulder with affection. The alien sobbed, letting the cry that had built up come out freely. A lonely tear ran down Baekhyun's cheek, wetting his chin. 

"I-I could never fight my brother." Chanyeol hid the wet face between his fingers, his head falling against Baekhyun's. 

The beach made silence in respect to both, the waves became quieter and the wind stopped, the only noise heard was the two crying, Baekhyun comforting him with sweet words and kisses, the moon looking at them with sympathy.

"I think we both ran away from power after all," Baekhyun said when Chanyeol's sobs stopped, the alien raised his head and looked at him with tenderness, traces of silvery tears painted his face. 

"We do." When the two looked at each other, they had the mutual understanding that there were no judgments there, only knowing that their lives connected for some reason. It was destined, the encounter of an alien and a human, they needed to feel that they were not alone, that someone else understood what loneliness was. In the soul, and the physical form.

"But I can't stay here, Baekhyun." Chanyeol said low in desperation, a sharp pain in the chest as he saw Baekhyun's expression collapse, the human moving away as if he had received a stab in the stomach.

"W-what are you talking about? You c-can't..." Baekhyun's heart was about to go out through his mouth, and he didn't notice when more tears began to fill his eyes and flow through his face, the moon reflecting the brightness. Baekhyun felt something tearing inside him. 

"The deal was for me to stay here until my ankle gets better, I'm healed. I can't stay here." Chanyeol repeated, Baekhyun shook his head in denial repeatedly and sobbed, his hands grabbing the alien's shoulders nervously.

Chanyeol accommodated the boy crying in his chest, closing his eyes as he couldn't stand the pain of seeing him in anguish. "Where are you going?" 

"I don't know yet, but I can't keep hiding on Earth. It's very hard to blend among humans, and sooner or later, someone would find out. I don't want to put you at risk." Chanyeol kissed his blonde hair, Baekhyun squeezed him tighter, the tears wetting his skin. The waves got higher, more aggressive, the human sobbed once again. 

"Please, don't leave me, I don't wanna be alone again. Please, Chanyeol." The crying face came out of its hiding place and got closer to Chanyeol's, the alien took his thumbs to his cheeks, wiping the tears that fell in rivers from his eyes.

"Don't cry, love, don't cry." Chanyeol kissed his forehead and Baekhyun involuntarily closed his eyes, Chanyeol kissed his eyelids too, his hands not stopping shaking for a second. Baekhyun didn't want to believe, he felt his throat closing more and more and just wished he could have Chanyeol by his side every day of his life, without impediments.

"Please, Chanyeol, we can do this. Please." Baekhyun begged once again with his hands together, Chanyeol blinked a few times and controlled the will to deny.

"How, Baekhyun?" Chanyeol didn't believe there was a solution, a different way. His hands were tied and he didn't find himself hopeful, Baekhyun swallowed dry and soon an idea appeared in his head, his hands flew to Chanyeol's neck to hold his face with expectation.

"I could drive both of us to a place far away from here, where nobody would find us, I have money saved, and I also know how to find a place. Or we could explore the world, without stopping. We'll figure it out together." Baekhyun looked into his eyes and Chanyeol bit his lower lip, considering. It was very dangerous, but Baekhyun seemed so determined that he was tempted to accept.

Chanyeol didn't want to leave Baekhyun, the only being who understood him in all his life. He wanted to be able to sleep and wake up next to the human, to take more baths with him, to discover his other passions and learn by heart all his scars, he wanted to fall madly in love with him, to increase the flame that already existed in his chest. However, living beings are also dangerous when they are in front of things they don't know, and he didn't want Baekhyun to be harmed because of him, he didn't want to put his wishes above his safety. 

The starry sky was beautiful, the glow reflected in Baekhyun's eyes in a way that broke his heart and gave him no choice but to look and look at the most beautiful thing he ever saw. Chanyeol had the cure for his loneliness and knew from the first moment that he would never sleep peacefully again if he didn't have it.

"You have to promise me that you will put yourself in the first place, your well being in the first place. Even if something happens to me." Chanyeol asked seriously, touching their foreheads, Baekhyun took a deep breath and closed his eyes, leaning to say no, he couldn't do it. 

"Chanyeol..."

"Promise me, love." The breaths mixed, Chanyeol begged. He didn't want to leave Baekhyun, he needed to hear the words from his mouth to continue.

"I promise, Chanyeol. I promise." Baekhyun repeated, voice blurry, but the sensation that everything would work out possessed his body.

"So we will figure it out. Both of us." Chanyeol murmured before sealing their lips together, and at that moment, all his worries disappeared. 

They were just Baekhyun and Chanyeol starting a new page of their books, their lips moved in synchrony, with passion and longing, as if they were two reincarnations of lovers meeting after decades apart. Chanyeol and Baekhyun were connected, and not even different worlds could separate them.

They were breathless, and Baekhyun widened his eyes as he looked at Chanyeol, the drawings on his arm and neck shone more than the stars together, it was a scene he couldn't describe. Nothing would compare to that glow, it was genuine. "They are shining." 

"Your birthmarks will shine when you find the soul that you will spend your whole life with," Chanyeol said the same thing his mother told him when he was still a child and dreamed of love. 

His human smiled, shocked and amazed, and they kissed again.

The stars, the moon and the sea came together in joy, celebrating two more souls that were completing each other, promises of a better future written in the skies. 

The loneliness in Baekhyun had finally found the red in Chanyeol, his heart.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!


End file.
